Centrifugal ore-separator.



P. P. PEGK.

OENTEIPUGAL ORE SEPARATOR.

Patented Dec.19,'1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cO-, WASHINGTON. D. c

PHILIB F. PECK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CENTRIFUGAL ORE-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 25, 1911.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911. Serial No. 623,153.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP F. PEOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Ore-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to make certain improvements in centrifugal ore separators for separation of heavier and lighter substances, such as metalliferous ores and the like, while in a pulverized state and mixed with water, by employment of centrifugal force and washing friction, and my invention is more especially directed to the combination of cooperating parts, as well as features and details of construction by means of which expansion forces of the friction element are cont-rolled and regulated, as hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1, is a vertical central cross section of the most of the main parts of my separating apparatus, and a side elevation of other parts. Fig. 2, is a cross section of the rotating parts of myseparator, taken on line 22, of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3, is an enlarged vertical central cross sect-ion of'the right hand portion of the deflector vessel, illustrated in Fig. 1, more clearly showing its parts, this side elevation being illustrated as broken from the other portion of the vessel. Fig. 4, is a vertical cross section of an enlarged fragmentary part, illustrated in Fig. 3. Fig; 5, is and enlarged central longitudinal section of a discharge plug, re-

moved from the separating vessel.

In making my improved centrifugal ore separator I provide a rotatable member 2, which I prefer to be in the form of a vessel, as illustrated in the drawings, and which I will hereafter term as a separating vessel or member. This separating member has a closed bottom and substantially open top. The bottom of the separating vessel or member is provided with a central hub 3, that rigidly engages the shaft 1, by which the separating vessel is supported and rotated when and as desired by means of a suitable pulley 5, secured on the shaft as shown. The shaft is mounted in journal boxes 6, and 7, respectively to maintain it in position. The journal box 6, is attached to the upper part of a suitable frame 8, which is mounted on a bed plate 9, and the journal box 7, extends down through the bed plate, which supports it. The lower end of the shaft is stepped in the box 7, to carry its weight.

The separating vessel is turned and bored smoothly, and in a concentric manner so that it will revolve true to its axis, and its inner circumferential wall will afford a suitable separating surface 10 over which the substances to be separated may pass as hereinafter explained. The top edge or rim of the open end of the separating vessel is formed into an outwardly extended flange 11, and a ring or plate 12, serving as a top cover, is secured to the flange 11, by screw bolts 13, as shown. The plate 12, is of form to leave an annular discharge space 14, at the top end of the vessel The ring or plate 12, is made with a central opening as illustrated, thereby only partly closing the opening in the top of the vessel.

The separating vessel is preferably made with its wall and the separating surface inclined outward from its bottom end to its top or open end, making it of greater diameter at the top, which is the discharge end of the vessel, and the diameter of the bore of plate 12, is less than that of the bottom end of the separating surface, enabling when desired, a sufiicient body of water to be retained in the vessel to fill a separating passage 15, and submerge the separating surface, as hereinafter explained.

The plate 12, around through its peripheral wall is provided with a row of screwthreaded holes communicating with the space 1 1, into which are screwed removable dischargeplugs or members 16, which are provided with holes 17, best shownin enlarged sectional detail Fig. 5, of suitable size to permit of desired discharge of liquid and material, yet to retain a sufiicient quantity of liquid in the separating vessel to fill the separating passage and submerge the separating surface, and for purposes of satisfactory operation.

Located inside of the separating vessel, and with said vessel forming the separating passage 15, I provide a member to serve as a deflector, which preferably embodies a suitable non-elastic supporting element or portion 18, which I have illustrated in the form of a vessel, although this part may be any other suitable form of supporting structure. I will, for convenience, in the specification and claims in most instances term this element a deflector vessel or element.

The deflector element has a closed bottom and an open top, except that at its top is an inwardly turned flange 19, which extends a desired distance toward the axis of rotation. This deflector element, is somewhat smaller in diameter than the inside of the separating vessel, thereby leaving the separating passage 15, adjacent to the separating surface; the deflector element is also somewhat shorter than the inside length of the separating vessel, and its central hub 20, securely and rigidly engages the lower portion of a sleeve 21, which is mounted in a rotatable manner around the central shaft 1, and rota tion is imparted to it through a pulley 22,

mounted on the upper end of the sleeve. The lower end of the sleeve 21, is stepped on the upper end of the hub 3; and is proportioned to hold the bottoms of the separating vessel and the deflector vessel apart sufficiently to leave a comparatively small space 23, between them, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

ithin the deflector vessel, around its hub 20, I have provided a ring 21, which rises above the bottom of the vessel, and forms a feed chamber 25. This ring, which I will term a feed ring, has a central opening at its top, sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the hub 20, to leave a desired annular space around the hub, through which the material for separation, mixed with water, ordinarily known as pulp, as well as concentrates removing water may be introduced by means of a suitable feed pipe 26, as hereinafter more fully explained. In this instance the feed ring is formed integral with the deflector vessel, and within the feed chamber of this ring, communicating with the space 23, are series of holes or passages 27, through the bottom of the deflector vessel, as illustrated, which serve as passages for the flow of pulp from the feed chamber into the space 23, whence such pulp, actuated by centrifugal force, is driven into the separating passage 15, where separation takes place, and the heavier substances accumulate and form in a bed or layer on the separating surface.

The deflector member, in addition to the deflector vessel, which serves as a supporting element, embodies an expansible and contractible element 28, which I will term an expansible friction element. This friction element is in the nature of a flexible covering or acket located around, and supported by the deflector vessel and is secured to it by wire strands 28. It is preferably provided with multiple expansion chambers 29, extending circumferentially to the course of rotation of the deflector vessel, and adapted to be expanded by the pressure of water that may be forced into them during operation of the separator.

WVithin the deflector vessel I have pro vided circumferential multiple primary troughs or compartments 30, and a secondary circumferential trough or compartment 31. The primary compartments serve to receive water when desired, and the portion of the wall of the deflector vessel which forms the bottom of these primary compart ments is provided with a sufficient number of holes 30, communicating with the several compartments and their respective expansion chambers in the friction element, so that water introduced in the primary compartments will in part be driven, actuated by centrifugal force, into the expansion chambers, serving to expand the friction element as above stated.

As means for introducing water into the primary compartments 30, I provide a water supply pipe 32, having branch pipes 33 and 34, communicating with the respective pri mary compartments. The pipe 32, may be connected to any suitable source of water supply, and is provided with a valve 32 to govern the flow of water through the pipe.

The friction element serves the oflice of regulating the size of the separating passage by becoming enlarged through expansion, and it also serves the important oflice of generating a washing friction on the separating surface, or the surface of the bedding heavier substances. The intensity of this washing friction will depend partly on the velocity of differential travel in rotation be tween the friction element and the separating vessel, and partly upon the degree of expansion of the friction element, caused by the amount of water within the respective compartments 30, which supply both volume and pressure of water to the expansion chambers.

The pressure of the water for effecting expansion of the friction element at a predetermined speed of rotation of the deflector vessel, and the resultant degree of such expansion will depend very largely on the amount of water maintained in the primary compartments 30, in the deflector vessel 18, from the fact that the water in such compartments forms the columns or hydrostatic pressure heads which, acted upon by centrifugal force, develop hydrostatic pressure substantially proportioned to the height or depth of such columns, resulting in a corresponding greater or less degree of expansion of the friction element.

As means for limiting the maximum quantity of water that can accumulate within the primary compartments 30, and consequently the amount of the hydrostatic pressure head, I provide overflow pipes 35, which are bent suitably to be secured in the partitions between the primary compartments and the secondary compartment and communicate with the secondary compart ment in a manner to enable water that may flow through such pipe to pass from the pri mary compartments into the secondary compartment. The pipes 35, are provided at their intake ends, as best illustrated in Fig. 4, with adjustable sleeves or extensions 36, screw-threaded on the respective pipes so the sleeves may be adjusted toward or from the axis of the vessel and regulate the position of the intake for the ends of these pipes and consequently the maximum height to which the expanding pressure head of the water within the primary compartments can accumulate or raise.

As means for removing or scooping water out of the secondary compartment 31, to the extent desired, I provide a pipe 37, having its lower end in position and suitably curved to scoop the water out of such compartment while the separator is in operation, to the extent that the scooping end of such pipe may be located in position with relation to the circumferential wall of the deflector vessel. The upper end of the scoop pipe extends out of the top of the vessel to any suitable place for delivery of water which it removes. In this way water that flows from the primary compartments into the secondary compartment will be removed. from the deflector element, leaving, however, such amount of water in the secondary compartment as may be predetermined by the position of the scooping end of the pipe 37. I

As means for gradually decreasing the quantity of water in the primary compartments and fixing the minimum quantity therein, after such primary compartments have been filled with water and the introduction thereto discontinued during the concentrating period, I provide suitably shaped pipes 38, communicating through the partitions between the primary compartments and the secondary compartment, as especially illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, and in position farther from the axis of rotation of the deflector element than the position of the pipes 35. These pipes 38, are adapted to deliver water from the primary compartments to the secondary compartment, but as means for regulating the quantity of water and the velocity of flow through such pipes 38, I provide a float valve 39, for each of said pipes, which is adapted to operate in alinement and conjunction with the end of its pipe where the pipe opens into the secondary compartment. The float 39, is provided with an extended stem 40, which serves as a guide to the float, as such stem passes through an appropriate guide opening in the pipe 38, as illustrated at 41, in Fig. 4.

In an appropriate position with relation to the float 39, and within the secondary compartment, I provide a part 42, in the form of a. short pipe secured to the wall of the deflector element, and to the end of this short pipe nearest the axis of the vessel, I

provide an adjustable sleeve or extension 43. This sleeve 43, is threaded on the pipe 42, as best shown in Fig. 4, and is adapted to be adjusted toward and from the axis of the vessel so as to make the chamber formed by it and the pipe 42, and in which the float 39, is positioned, of a greater or less length, resulting in the float 39, which is buoyed or carried by the water in such chamber, being held in position nearer or farther from the delivery or open end of the pipe 38, thereby regulating the quantity of flow through such pipe from the primary compartments to the secondary compartment.

The construction and weight of the float 39, is intended to be such that it will be carried by the water in which it rests, and be moved up or down by such water, as the case may be, as the quantity of water affect ing it is regulated by movement of the adjustable sleeve 43.

The Water that flows through the pipe 38, is first deposited in the chamber in the short pipe 42, and its extension 43, and then overflows into the secondary compartment 31, so that the position of the extension 43, will largely govern the position of the float 39,

It will be understood that my separator is of a nature to operate in successive cycles embodying periods of concentration and accumulation of cencentrates while discharging tailings, and periods of discharge or unloading of accumulated concentrates. It is intended that a suflicient amount of water will be introduced into the primary compartments through the pipe 32, during the unloading period, to fill such compartments with water to a point where it will overflow through the parts 35, and 36, as has been above explained, and at the beginning of the concentrating period, such water supply is preferably discontinued by closing a valve 32, and the accumulation of Water within the primary compartments, which forms the hydrostatic pressure head for expanding the friction element, is gradually decreased during the concentrating period to more readily permit of contraction of the friction element as the load or bed of concentrates accumulates within the separating passage. To accomplish this gradual decrease of accumulated body of water within the primary compartments, which results in gradually decreasing the hydrostatic pressure head, in such compartments, I have provided the means, embodying the float mechanism hereinabove described, and the adjustment of the sleeve 43 and the proportion of other parts of this mechanism is intended to be such as to affect such decrease of Water accumulation in the primary compartments at the speed and within the time desired during'the concentrating period,-the float and its associated mechanism serving for such purpose and as means for limiting the minimum accumulation or hydrostatic head within the primary compartments.

It is preferable that there should be some water pressure exerted under the friction jacket, or between it and the exterior of the deflector element around and adjacent to the zone of union of its inner and outer walls, as indicated by initialing numeral ii, in Fig. 3, and I have therefore provided openings 45, through the wall of the compartment 31, in position to permit water from such compartment to flow through the said wall for this purpose.

It will be understood that the amount or accumulation of water within the secondary compartment 31, is intended to be limited by the position of the scoop pipe 37, in quantity less than the minimum quantity permitted in the primary compartments, so that the pressure head will at all times be greater hydrostatically in the primary com partments than in the secondary compartment.

During operation of the separator, as above explained, the material or pulp to be separated into lighter parts known .as tailings and hea vier p arts known as concentrates,

passes from the feed chamber, and the space 23, into the lower end of the separating passage 15, and actuated by centrifugal force and the resultant pressure of such force on the pulp in the space 23, the pulp is driven up through the separating passage toward its discharge end, and that portion which is not bedded on the separating surface as concentrates is driven out from the upper part of the separating passage and is discharged from the separating vessel as will be hereinafter more fully described.

As means for catching tailings and concentrates with their accompanying water as discharged from the separating element through the plugs 16, I provide an annular launder 46, with an opening near its upper end in suitable alinement with the said discharge plugs 16, so that material delivered. from them will be thrown into said annular opening and pass into the chamber 47, of the launder and flow therefrom through a spout 4-8, to any desired place of disposition. This launder is supported by brackets 49 and 50, respectively, which are attached to the frame column 8, of the separator as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Vhat I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within the separating element, provided with primary-and secondary liquid containing compartments, and an expansible and contractible friction element surrounding the defiector element and attached thereto, means communicating with the secondary compartment adapted to limit the maximum accumulation of liquid in the pri mary compartment, means communicating with said secondary compartment adapted to gradually decrease the amount of accumulation of water in the primary compartment during the concentrating period, means for introducing water into the primary compartment and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

2. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within the separating element provided with primary and secondary liquid containing compartments, an expansible and contractible friction element surrounding the deflector element and attached thereto, means communicating with a secondary compartment adapted to deliver liquid from the primary compartment to the secondary compartment and to limit the maximum accumulation of liquid in said primary compartment, other means adapted to deliver liquid from the primary compartment to the secondary compartment, and during the loaded period to gradually decrease the accumulation of liquid in said primary compartment, means for introducing liquid to the primary compartment and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

3. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within said separating element provided with primary and secondary liquid containing compartments, an expansible and contractible friction element surrounding the deflector element and attached thereto, means communicating with the primary compartment adapted to deliver liquid from said primary compartment to the secondary compartment and to limit the maximum ac cumulation of liquid in said primary compartment, other means adapted to deliver liquid from the primary compartment to the secondary compartment and during the loading period and to gradually decrease the accumulation of liquid in said primary compartment, means for introducing liquid to the primary compartment, and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

4. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of Water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within the separating element, provided with primary and secondary liquid containing compartments, an expansible and contractible friction element surrounding the deflector element and attached thereto, adjustable means communicating with the secondary compartment adapted to limit the maximum accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment, means communicating with said secondary compartment adapted to gradually decrease the amount of accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment during the concentrating period, variable automatic means adapted to control the gradual decrease of such liquid, means for introducing liquid into the primary compartment and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

5. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within the separator element, provided with primary and secondary liquid containing compartments, an expansible and contractible friction element surrounding the deflector element and attached thereto, means communicating with the secondary compartment adapted to limit the maximum accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment, means communicating with said secondary compartment adapted to gradually decrease the amount of accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment during the concentrating period, embodying automatic valve mechanism adapted to maintain the velocity of such gradual decrease practically constant throughout the concentrating period, means for introducing liquid into the primary compartment and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

6. In a centrifugal ore separator, the combination of a rotatable separating element adapted to contain a body of water while in operation, a differentially rotatable deflector element within the separating element, provided with primary and secondary liquid containing compartments, an expansible and contractihle friction element surrounding the deflector element and attached thereto, means communicating with the secondary compartment adapted to limit the maximum accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment, means communicating with said secondary compartment adapted to gradually decrease the amount of accumulation of liquid in the primary compartment during the concentrating period communicating with the primary compartment at a point farther from the axis than said maximum limiting means, means communicating with the secondary compartment adapted to introduce water under the friction element adjacent to the zone of union between its inner and outer walls, means for introducing liquid into the primary compartment and means for removing liquid from the secondary compartment, substantially as described.

PHILIP F. PECK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

